Buttonhole-sewing machine.



E. J. RAY.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 28, 1M2.

Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lithe/M01:

B. J. RAY. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED AUG. 28, 1912.

. Patented June 3, 1913.

NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE J. RAY, E BEVEREY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'ro UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, or 'PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or ,NEw JERSEY.

BUTTONHbLE-SEWIN MACHINE.

PatentedJune 3, 1913.

To all whom it may Concern Be it known that I, EUGENE J. RAY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonhole- Sewing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

The invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines of that Class in which a work holding Clamp and stitch forming mecha nism are relatively movable to form overedge stitches extending along the sldes and about the end or ends of a buttonhole.

Machines of the type to which the inven-'' tion relates are provided with mechanism for rotating either the sewing mechanism or work clamp insewing about one or both ends of abuttonhole, and one object of the invention is to providea' novel and improved mechanism for efiecting this relative rotation of the work clamp and sewing mechanism which will operate in an eflicient and reliable manner and at high speed.

With this object in view the invention comprises the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

The :features ofthe invention will be readily understood from an-inspection of the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description of the mechanism illustrated therein.

Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing so much of a buttonhole sewing machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto, and Figs. 2 and 3 are. detail plan views showing thedevices for rotating the stitch forming mechanism.

In the machine illustrated 1n the drawings the work is carried in a work -clamp which is moved longitudinally and laterallyduringthe sewing of a buttonhole, and the relative rotation of the work clamp and stitch forming. mechanism to sew about the ends of the buttonhole, and properly position the stitches along the sides, is effected by a rotation of the stitch forming mechamsm.

The work clamping devices comprise work sepportingplatest and cooperating clampvcured to the rock shaft. The buttonhole is cut by acutter 10 secured on the front end. of. the cutter lever 6 and operated by a cam 11 which is carried by a Cam gear 12 'and is arranged to engage the rear end of the cutter lever. .VVhen the cutter lever is operated it closes the work clamp, and the "clamp is then latched in position by latchmg devices indicated at 13 in Fig. l. The latching devices are released to allow the work clamp to open when the clamp is returned to cutting position'after the sewing of the buttonhole by a releasing pin 14 the upper end ,of which is arranged toengage a cam 15 so mounted on the frame that it may yield-to allow the passageof the releasing pin during the forward movement of the Work clamp.

The work clamping devices are carried in suitable guides in the machine frame, and 1sprovlded near its center with a fulcrum stud 17 engaging a block 18 which is guided in a longitudinal slot 19' in the machine frame. The upper end of the fulcrum stud carries a roll engaging a cam groove in the under surface of the cam gear 12. This cam groove is shaped to. give the desired longitudinal movements to the clamp Carrier.v Proper lateral movements are impartupon a carrier frame 16 which is supported in ed to thecla-mp carrier during the sewing of the buttonhole by a cam groove formed in the upper surface of a gear 20, and arranged to engage a roll on one end of a lever 21. The other end of the lever 21 carries a stud 22 engaging, a block 23 which slides in a longitudinal slot 24 formed in the rear end of the clamp carrier.

The stitch forming devices comprise a straight-eye-point'ed upper needle 25 arranged to pass through the work at a oer tain distance from the edge of the buttonhole, a, 'curved-eye-pointed under needle 26 arranged to pass through the buttonhole slit; and a cooperating looper 27. The upper needle 25 is secured to the lower end. of a hollow needle bar 28 which-is mounted to reciprocate through a sleeve 29 and an upover an idler pulley "37 which may be adjusted to properly tension the band. The under needle and looper are carried upon a turret 38 which is mounted in bearings formed in the turret bracket 39, and is provided at its lower end with a wheel 40 similar' to the wheel 32. The wheel 40 is connected through a drivingband 41 with a similar wheel 43 secured to the lower endof the shaft 35. The band 41'is, similar in construction tothe band 33, and passes over an idle pulley 42, by which its tension may be adjusted.

During the sewing of each buttonhole the shaft-35 is turned through a complete revolutlon, and through the bands and wheels 3 described turnsthe-stitc'h forming mechanism through a complete revolution. In the construction shown, the rotation of the shaft 35 and of.t-he;stitch forming mechanism is always in the same direction, these parts being turned rotation after rotation during the sewingof successive buttonhol'es. The devices for thus rotating the shaft 35 and stitch forming mechanism comprise driving connections fo-r'continuously connecting the rotary gearEZO and the shaft 35, and a cam operating on these connections to vary the movement imparted to the shaft 35 and stitch forming'mechamsm by the rotation of the gear. As shown, the driving connections between the gear andshaft comprise an arm or link 44, one end of whichis pivotally connected to a pin 45 on the gear 20, and.

the other end ofwhich is connected by a link 46 to an arm 47 secured to the shaft 35. The link 44 carries a roll 48 which travels in a cam groove 49-forined in a disk 50 which is secured in a bracket 51 and is arranged concentrically to theshaft 35 and gear 20. During the operation of the stitch forming mechanism the gear 20 is driven through a singlerevolution and at a uniform speed. The arms and links between the gear and the shaft 35 serve to positively and continuously .connect the. gear and shaft, and the cam-groove 49 is so proportioned and arranged that the stitch forming mechanism i held stationary, or moved at varying speed during the sewing about the buttonhole, according to the part of the buttonhole at, which the stitch forming mechanism is operating. In the machine shown, the

parts are so proportioned and arranged that the first stitch in the buttonhole is formed at the end of the buttonhole slit, and the last stitch i completed in'the same needle hole in which the first stitch was taken. The position of the parts when the sewing is started and stopped is indicated in Fig. 2. During the first advance stroke of the needles the cam roll 48 moves in the part 53 of the cam groove which is so shaped that no rotary movement is imparted to the stitch forming mechanism until after the needle has passed through the work. After the first stitch is formed the roll travels in a part of the cam groove which accelerates the movement transmitted to the stitch forming mechanism from the uniformly rotating gear 20, so that the stitch forming mechanism is rotated at a comparatively rapid speed in forming the stitches across the lower end of the b'uttonhole. The rotation of the stitch forming mechanism is then retarded in sewing along the sides of the buttonholc,

is accelerated in sewing about the eye of the buttcnhole, is again retarded in sewing along the opposite side of the buttonhole, and is again accelerated in passing from the side to the end and sewing across the end of the buttcnhole. In forming the last stitch the needles pass through the material at the. same point as in forming the first stitch, and thereafter the cam roll travels inv the part 53 of the cam groove, so that no rotary movement is imparted to the stitch forming mechanism during the last retracting move mcnt of the needles, and the stitch forming mechanism is stopped in proper position for the sewing of the next buttonhole. By this mechanism. the rotation of the stitch forming mechanism may be positively and uniformly controlled while the actuating mechanism is operating at a high rate of speed.

The main cam gear 12 and the gear 20 are both driven through a single revolution during the sewing of each buttonhole, and the driving mechanism for the gear is so constructed and operated that the gear 20 rotates only during the sewing of the buttonhole, while the gear 12 is driven independently at the beginning and at the end of the cycle of operations performed by the machine to actuate the cutter and to move the work from cutting position to sewing position before the sewing begins, and from sewing back to cutting position after the sewing of the buttonhoIe-is completed.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a machine in which the relative rotation between the work clamp and stitch forming mechanism ,is effected by rotation of the stitch forming mechan sm, and in which the stitch forming mechanism is rotated, rotation after rotation, in the same direction in sewing successive buttonholes, it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application 'to a machine in which the relative I rotation is thus efiected,or in which there is no reverse rotation Of'tll stitch forming mechanism, but maybe embodied with advantage in other constructions. It will also be understood that .the specific construction, and arrangement of parts shown and described/is not essential, and may bevaried and modified Without departing from the .hole comprising a rotary driven membena rotarydriving member, continuous connections between the members, and means acting on the connections to vary the movement transmitted to the driven member.

2. A buttonhole sewing machine, havin in combination, stitch forming and Work holding mechanisms, mechanism for rela-' tively rotating the work holding and stitch forming mechanisms to sew about a buttonhole comprising a rotary driven member, a uniformly rotating concentric driving member, connections continuously connecting the driving and driven members, and a concentric cam acting on the connections to vary the motions ber.

8. A buttonhole sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming and work holding mechanisms, mechanism for relatively rotating the work holding and stitch transmitted to the driven memforming mechanisms to sew about a. buttonhole comprising a rotary driven member, a

uniformly rotating driving member, connections continuously connecting the driving and driven members, and means acting on the connections to accelerate the motion transmitted by the driven member during the sewing about the ends of the buttonhole, and for retarding the motion transmitted to the driven-member while sewing along the sides of the buttonhole.

4. A button'holc sewing machine, having, in combination,'stitch forming and work holding mechanisms, mechanism for relatively rotating the work holding and stitch Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

' hole com-prising a rotary j driven imem'b'er, a

connectionsbetween the driving "and driven members, and a stationary cam act ng on the to the driven membeiz.

handling mechanisms,'rotary supportsfor sa d mechanisms, a shaft'connected to rotate tions to vary ,the movement transmitted to the supports-during the rotation of the drivin ,9; member.

(3. A buttonholc sewing machine, having, in combination, upper and under thread handling. mechanisms, rotary supports for said mechanisms, a shaftconnected to rotate member,connections for transmitting motion from the driving'member tothe shaft, and a stationary cam-acting on the connections to transmit a variablemovement to the supports. 7 t

7. A buttonhole sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming and work holding mechanisms, mechanism for relatively rotating the work holding and stitch forming mechanism to'sew about a'buttonhole comprising a rotary driving member, an arm having one end pivoted to the driving member, a driven shaft provided with ing member, and a cam acting on the latter shaft.

8. A buttonhole sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming and work holding mechanisms, mechanism for relaforming mechanisms to sew about a buttonhole comprising a shaft'bS, a concentric rotary driving member, an arni 14 having one end pivoted to the driving member and the other end connected to transmit motion to the shaft 35, and a concentric cam 50 acting upon the arm 44.

EUGENE'J. RAY.

Witnesses Evnnn'r'r \V.'VARNEY,

, ELMER B. Gnosii.

f Commissioner of Patents.

forming mechanisms to sew about a button- A buttonhole sewing machine, having, in combinat on, upper and under thread the supports, adrivingmember, continuous connections between the shaft and driving member, and means acting-on the connecthe supports,'a uniformly rotating driving uniformly driven rotary driving member,

an arm connected with the arm on-the drivarm to vary themotion transmitted to the tivcly rotating the work holding-and stitch 601' =connections to transmita variable movement I Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,063,729,

It'is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,063,729, granted June 3,

1913,.upon the aiiplication of Eugene J. Ray, of Beverly, Massachusetts, for an .impro ement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiring'correctionas follows: Page 2, line 20, for the reference-numeral 43 read 42, arid same page; line 23; for the reference-numeral 42 read 43,- and that the said Letters Patent ehould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ()flice.

- Signed and sealed this 15th day of J ulyg A. D., 191 3. I mm I 0. c. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

